{"id":4686,"date":"2020-10-19T00:01:07","date_gmt":"2020-10-19T04:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sawpublishing.com\/?p=4686"},"modified":"2020-10-16T10:43:41","modified_gmt":"2020-10-16T14:43:41","slug":"are-you-reading-age-appropriate-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sawpublishing.com\/are-you-reading-age-appropriate-books\/","title":{"rendered":"Are You Reading Age-Appropriate Books?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DoesAs a child, I used to get laughed at for trying to sound grown-up. One of the phrases I considered effective was \u201cage-appropriate.\u201d I applied it to literature. To Beatrix Potter in particular. Beatrix Potter in my opinion (or in the opinion of some adult I was quoting??) was not age-appropriate for little girls of three. (My sister was three.) It was<\/em> age-appropriate for big girls of five. (I was five.)<\/p>\n

It was not until some years later that I really comprehended the humour of all this.<\/p>\n

My grandmother has a beautiful collection of Beatrix Potter books, but I am afraid I have never been able to wholly divest myself of my early impressions\u2014because I still feel like they are \u201cage-appropriate\u201d to a more mature audience than the little children for whom they were originally written.<\/p>\n

\"DoesDoes Age-Appropriate Really Matter?<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Occasionally in a novel (or maybe in real life, too!) you meet with a character who was raised with free access to a large grown-up library. It is usually portrayed as having a good effect on their mental and emotional development. These \u201cbookish\u201d characters tend to have a more mature outlook, a stronger imagination, and greater depth of character than those who spend their time romping outdoors or internalizing nothing but fairy tales and \u201cMcGuffey\u2019s Eclectic.\u201d<\/p>\n

I have to admit, I identify with these bookworm characters. I think they are justly portrayed as being more mature, imaginative, and multi-faceted as a direct result of the wide range of literature they have devoured. On the flip side of the question, would it also be fair to portray a certain amount of mental, emotional, or spiritual trauma as an equally direct result of reading these same books?<\/p>\n

If both of these statements are true, then what are we to make of the dilemma in which they place us?<\/p>\n

Age-Appropriate Language vs. Age-Appropriate Content<\/strong><\/h5>\n

I think the most effective way of facing this problem\u2014regardless of which \u201cage\u201d category each of us fits into\u2014is to draw a distinction between age-appropriate language and age-appropriate content.<\/p>\n

Most bookworms develop language-comprehension-skills that are significantly ahead of their actual age. As this process continues, increasingly complex language becomes age-appropriate. Age-appropriate language may very fittingly expand as fast as the reader\u2019s comprehension can keep pace. Age-appropriate content, on the other hand, is a little more fixed\u2014or perhaps we had better say, it is as unique as the individual, but it does NOT expand at a rate that is tied to language comprehension.<\/p>\n

In my opinion, readers who already love books derive very little harm from reading books with language<\/em> that is far beyond anything \u201cappropriate\u201d to their age\u2014as long as the content<\/em> is still age-appropriate.<\/p>\n

Age-Appropriate vs. NEVER-Appropriate<\/strong><\/h5>\n

The whole reason I began thinking about this topic this week, is that I happen to be reading a children\u2019s book right now\u2014a pretty widely-read classic\u2014that gives an irresistibly humorous picture of two very spoiled young people. To an adult (who we hope isn\u2019t tempted to behave like a spoiled child!) this aspect of the story is perfectly age-appropriate\u2014and funny! To a child, depending on circumstances, it might be an unhelpful example.<\/p>\n

And this is why I want to draw a distinct line between books that are not appropriate for some audiences, and books that are NEVER appropriate for any audiences. I really believe there are plenty of books in both of these classes.<\/p>\n

The finally test, after all, is the impact a story is having on your own soul. Don\u2019t forbid yourself harmless reading because it wouldn\u2019t be age-appropriate for someone else. Don\u2019t excuse yourself for reading harmful books by saying \u201cyou\u2019re an adult\u201d (or a teenager, or a five-year-old, or whatever \u201cmature\u201d means in your life right now!) Have the courage to choose the books that are age-appropriate for you!<\/p>\n

Christians Need More Age-Appropriate Books!<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Oh, who decided that a blog post is supposed to be short! I feel like we\u2019ve barely scratched the surface on this topic.<\/p>\n

Is reading too far below your language-level just as wasteful as reading too far above it? Is reading below your content-level just as unhelpful as exposing yourself to things you aren\u2019t ready for? Is your own soul the only thing you need to consider in choosing a book? What about the people who see you reading it? Or the family member who picks it up once it\u2019s in your house?<\/p>\n

One thing I am pretty thoroughly convinced of. Christians need more age-appropriate books for every age. We need a generation who is passionate about good and great books!<\/p>\n

Do you want to hear the most controversial opinion SAW Publishing ever voiced on this subject? See our previous post:<\/p>\n

\"Just<\/a><\/strong>You might also enjoy:<\/p>\n

\"What<\/a>

What makes a book good? What makes it bad? SAW Publishing has a very specific definition of what makes a book good: a definition which has become our company\u2019s hallmark.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Are

Are you interested in adding hymns to your history course? SAW Publishing\u2019s Hymns of American History is the perfect resource.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Do<\/a>

Do you ever feel the longing for a mentor to guide and encourage you as you strive to fill the role of a godly wife and mother? Timeless Tips from Mentors of the Past is the resource you have been looking for!<\/p><\/div>\n

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As a child, I used to get laughed at for trying to sound grown-up. One of the phrases I considered effective was \u201cage-appropriate.\u201d I applied it to literature. To Beatrix… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4682,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70,61],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-good-and-great-books","category-the-bookshelf"],"yoast_head":"\nAre You Reading Age-Appropriate Books? - Sheep Among Wolves Publishing<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Does age-appropriate reading material really matter? Is reading above your grade level a good thing? Or a bad thing? Or a neutral one? 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